In some embodiments, a steering apparatus used in a vehicle can be an apparatus which changes a direction of vehicle wheels through a steering wheel and thus changes a moving direction of the running vehicle.
The steering apparatus can have an electric power steering (EPS) system in consideration of moving safety and convenience, and the EPS system can include a torque measuring device or the like.
In general, a torque sensor can be installed at the torque measuring device to measure a torque applied to a steering shaft. The torque sensor can include a housing, a rotor which can be rotated with a steering shaft, and a ring-shaped gear having gear teeth.
Particularly, in some embodiments of torque sensors, separate retention features in which various fasteners such as screws, rivets, bolts, nuts, adhesives, and solders can be provided and installed between the rotor and the gear to fix the rotor and the gear.
However, in some such torque sensors, the number of components, such as the fasteners and the retention features can be significant and the production cost of the sensor is increased. Also, in some embodiments, the operation of installing fasteners and retention features between the rotor and the gear can be very inconvenient and difficult, requiring the use of additional labor and assembly time, and thus resulting in reduced productivity. In addition, due to frequent rotation of the rotor, the fasteners and the retention features can be easily damaged with the further result that the durability of the sensor can be considerably reduced.
Further, some designs of torque sensors, have a configuration where replacement of one of a rotor, stator or sensor package can require the removal of all of these parts, and then replacement of all of these parts as a unit. Such required replacement of all of these parts can lead to additional repair expense and additional labor requirements for such repair.